“Three Tangos at the back door,” he transmitted as his long strides ate up the distance, retreating to the front of the building. He pulled himself around the front of the building as a dark blue cargo van drove by the front of the building really slowly. Its driver, a white male, watched him closely. He broke into a full run, crossing the street behind the van to the agency SUV. “Dark blue cargo van on the street. It’s time to move, boys and girls.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth, and the garage door on the warehouse rolled open. Burke slid into the driver’s seat of the agency SUV and turned the engine over, immediately shifting to drive. His eyes never left the blue cargo van, which pulled into the driveway of the next building and executed a U-turn. Its hood was pointed directly at the SUV Burke drove.
“The van pulled a U-ie,” Burke added.
Tessman suddenly appeared from the side of the building, running at full speed. Instead of crossing the street, he ran towards the blue van, which had floored it and was picking up speed.
“Handsome, you need to pick up Moe,” Wilson advised.
Burke saw Wilson through the open garage door as he got into the front passenger seat. At that same moment, shots rang out. Burke’s eyes went to Moe, who shot out two of the tires on the van. The van immediately veered in the direction of the shot-out tires and side-swiped a utility pole. The screech of metal against metal when it collided with the pole continued as the impact left dents and scrapes along the entire length of the van.
Burke pressed his foot on the accelerator, pushing it to the floor. He pulled in front of Moe as gunfire came from the van, gunfire aimed at Moe. The Shepherd Security vehicle was armor-plated, and the windows were outfitted with bulletproof glass. The white SUV, driven by Rogers, with Wilson in the front passenger seat, flew out of the garage just as the three Tangos who Burke had seen at the back door came around the side of the building.
“Tangos from the back door,” he broadcast as Moe got into the SUV with him. “Took them long enough.”
“Tells me the van isn’t in radio communication with them,” Tessman said.
Burke fell in behind the white SUV, and they sped out of the area. Both Burke and Tessman kept watch for a tail, but no one seemed to be following them. Both vehicles took the on-ramp to the interstate and headed south. Getting out of the immediate area was the only plan they had.
“Wilson’s on the phone with Big Bear,” Rogers transmitted. “Do you see anyone tailing us back there?”
“Negative,” Burke reported.
“It doesn’t make sense that they don’t have other assets nearby,” Tessman said.
“Maybe they didn’t have time to get them in place,” Burke offered.
“We’re heading to St. Francis, south of Milwaukee, where we’ll turn everyone over to the FBI,” Wilson transmitted.
“Taco, did you have time to find out why that back door was unlocked?” Burke asked.
“No,” he answered. “I will now.”
Wilson left his comms on transmit. Burke and Tessman heard his questioning of those from the warehouse, who were all uncomfortably crammed into the back seat of the white SUV.
“Why was the back door unlocked?” Wilson asked.
“I must have forgotten to lock it when I went in,” the voice belonging to the woman who had been in the front office said.
“What’s your name?” Wilson asked.
“Stacy,” she said.
“Last name?” Wilson pressed, pissed that he had to ask.
“Ramsey.”
“You came in the back and didn’t lock it,” Wilson recapped.
“I must have forgotten. I was rushing to get there when Valerie called me from the airfield. I had to be there to open the garage door when they arrived.”
“What’s your part in this?” Wilson asked.
“I’m just a friend.”
“Of whom?” Wilson continued.
“Of mine,” Valerie Butler stated. “Is this necessary? Stacy is only involved in this because she’s my friend and I needed someone I could trust to help when we got dragged into this mess.”
